From 15 to 18 June, the Netball Academy sent two teams, the U14 and U16 teams, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to participate in the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Netball Competition. Besides us, there were 3 Malaysian team that took part in the competition namely Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), Sekolah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI) and Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP).

Throughout the four-day trip, both teams displayed perseverance and resilience, picking themselves up when they fell. Each of us gave 110% effort in every match. After watching the match replays, I could see how adaptable everyone was. The teams worked together to adjust their attacking patterns and defences to respond to the changing situation on the court, preventing the opponents from scoring.

On 16 June 2026, the matches started. In my opinion, the first day was the most difficult, as we had to play two games in a single day for both the U14 and U16 teams. However, everyone strived to do their best, pushing full throttle to get the ball. Even with exhaustion creeping in, we did our best to get the ball from the opponents, and our players intercepted multiple passes, leading to goals and the points gap narrowing.

One thing that stood out to me was the communication between players on the court. Whether on court or on the bench, whenever there were improvements to be made to the defensive structure or the passes, the players never fail to provide their comments to help those on the court improve their game. When there were goals or successful interceptions, our players and the other teams' players never failed to show their excitement and encourage others. This display of sportsmanship truly stuck with me.

Every small win was met with applause from everyone, and that made the atmosphere ten times better. I am also really grateful for the support from our parents and siblings who took time from their busy schedules to support our games. They were definitely our biggest cheerleaders.

Out of the many games played, two games stood out for me. The first one was the U14’s 3rd/4th match against BJSS on the third day of the tournament. The BJSS netball team was truly the hardest opponent among the three Malaysian schools. Not only were they taller but they were also faster. Despite the differences, we did not give up. We gave it our all to defend against the BJSS girls, there were some close calls of 5 goals, although we ended up losing in the end.

The second one was the U16’s 3rd/4th placing game. It was definitely a close game where we eventually ended up losing with a close score of 25-27. Our U16 team forced errors on the opponent, which enabled it to lead the first and second quarters at 6-5 and 14-13. However, their lead slowly slipped away in the third quarter as they began to lose momentum. The team slowly began to recover their footing and managed to close the gap to a two-point difference in the third quarter with a score of 18-20. They stayed strong until the very end and even managed to close the gap halfway into the fourth quarter. Sadly, the opponents managed to score two more points in the last minute of the game.

On the last day of the tournament, both teams went all out in the placing matches, both being able to turn the tide at certain points in the game before sadly losing both games and came in 4th placing.

We are still thankful for the opportunity given by the school as the tournament gave all of us a great experience.

Reflections from Teammates

"Overall, this competition was a great learning opportunity for us to improve and refine our skills against the stronger Malaysian teams and their hospitality was really welcoming. They were competitors on court, friends off court.

The Bukit Jalil Netball Test Series was a valuable series for me. It gave me the opportunity to compete against stronger teams and learn more about my strengths and areas for improvement. One challenge I faced during this trip was adapting to my teammates with whom I had never played a match. I tried my best in every game, communicated with my teammates, and applied what I had learnt in training. The trip also helped me build stronger bonds not only with my teammates but also with the Malaysian players. Overall, the experience motivated me to continue working hard and improving as a player for future competitions."
- Dian Nabilah Muhammad Taufik, Secondary 3

"This June, our senior and junior netball teams travelled to Bukit Jalil Sports School in Malaysia to participate in the Netball Test Series 2026. Over three days of competition, we faced three Malaysian teams whose speed, agility and height challenged us in every aspect of the game. Each match pushed us to adapt quickly, compete with determination, and fight for every ball.

Through these games, we learnt the importance of maintaining possession, communicating effectively, and building strong on-court connections. More importantly, we learnt that some of the greatest opportunities for growth come from being challenged. Playing against strong opposition pushed us out of our comfort zones and taught us to stay composed under pressure, trust one another, and remain resilient when things did not go our way.

Beyond the court, shared meals, team meetings and countless conversations strengthened our friendships and brought us closer together as a team. What inspired me most was the way everyone continued to give their all and celebrated every small success, regardless of the score. This was a truly enriching experience that helped us grow not only as netball players, but also as teammates."
- Sophie Tan Ying Er, IBDP, Year 5